This disclosure relates to separation of aerosol particles from gas samples withdrawn from within a contained atmosphere, such as containment vessels for nuclear reactors or other process equipment where remote gaseous sampling is required. It is specifically directed to separation of dense aerosols including particles of any size and at high mass loadings and high corrosivity.
This invention arose from efforts to withdraw gaseous samples from atmospheres simulating those which would be predicted to exist in a containment building or vessel for a liquid metal cooled breeder reactor following a postulated melt-through accident. Dense aerosols, having concentrations of up to 100 g/m.sup.3, at temperatures up to 1000.degree. F. and consisting of a number of sodium compounds (including NaOH), have been postulated. These aerosols must be removed from gas samples which are to be analyzed for hydrogen content. Both the high mass loadings and the corrosive properties of the aerosols greatly limit the performance of conventional filtering means for their removal.